In the most conventional sort of strung sports racquets, the striking area is defined by a head frame that is roughly oval in shape. “Racquet,” as used herein, encompasses racquetball racquets, tennis rackets, badminton racquets, squash racquets and any other sports implement that has a head which is strung with string or netting and which is designed to intercept and return a projectile. Holes are made through the frame, typically in the plane of the strung area, for the passage of string therethrough. Racquets are generally strung such that one string weaves through the holes that are positioned on opposite sides of the frame in a consecutive fashion, forming multiple string segments. As a result, two directly connected segments of the string are situated adjacent each other in the strung racquet.
As the ball impacts a string, a tensile force is placed on the string which will have a tendency to pull the string through the string hole, and this tensile force is communicated to the adjacent string segment of the string. If the adjacent string segment is not also impacted, there would be a tendency of the adjacent strung segment to relieve some of the tensile force by lengthening. However, when two adjacent string segments are impacted at the same time, there is no opportunity for one string segment to relieve the stress placed on the other. Instead, tensile force is exerted on both string segments toward the projectile but in opposite directions on the string of which the string segments are a part, tending to pull the string apart. This acute stress shortens the life of the string and causes string failure. Further, where a large component of a ball's momentum is absorbed by a single string segment, other segments adjacent on the continuous string to the impacted segment can contribute to the impacted strings elongation and resiliency, thereby contributing a more lively feeling to play. But where two or more segments that are adjacent each other on the continuous string absorb substantial portions of a ball's impact, they are less available in permitting each other to yield or deflect. This results in a more wooden or boardlike feel to play.
Thus, it is desirable to improve the life of strings of a sports racquet and to reduce the amount of stress the ball exerts at impact on each of the connected string segments, and it is desirable to enhance liveliness and resiliency in the behavior of impacted string segments.